Conflicts And Peace Building in Africa

November 21, 2006 – THE TYPES of conflicts we have been experiencing in Africa since 1990s are very complex. Suffice it to say that there are common trends in these conflicts.

They include poor governance and political instabilities. The proliferation of small weapons in the African continent is a trigger for armed conflicts to linger on even when efforts have been made to achieve some level of peace.

Africans also observe that flaws in electoral processes, inter-ethnic feuds, economic, environmental and demographic stresses contribute, at a systemic level, to exacerbate conflicts in Africa. It is not just the complexities of these conflicts, which is worrying. The consequences of these conflicts are destructive and continue to hold the African continent from making any meaningful achievement in developments. Many Civil Society Organizations are now engaged in working for peace in the continent. Meanwhile, Africans must fight for peace building and come together to contribute to building communities and forming coalitions to address Africa problems.

In Africa, violence is becoming the only means of resolving conflicts especially among political leaders and the youth of our societies. Economic, social and political structures that are themselves violent are either subjecting societies to passivity or forcing rebellion. Children are also being socialized to respond to conflicts violently. Africans call on many of their civil society organizations to increase cooperation towards meaningful engagement for peace buildings. Ethnic and civil conflicts have been high on intensity in Africa. Some of these are still on going and others have resulted in absolute state collapse. Within Africa in particular, Africans have seen and heard similar disturbances occurring in La Cote d'Ivoire, Chad, Sudan, Somalia, and many others, up to date.

These conflicts have pushed hundreds of refugees to seek solace outside their own countries. Hundreds of suffering children, the youth, women and men have been forced to run in all directions, some through thick forests full of dangerous and poisonous animals, others walking days under the scorching sun not knowing where to pass the night as darkness fell. Africans should also not forget thousands, who were and continue to be internally displaced, maimed and abused and others psychologically traumatized. Some are with scars, which will perpetually remind them of their ordeals. Africans must commit themselves to mobilize themselves to come together and reflect on how to effectively work for peace and reconciliation in Africa. Africans have come to listen to the stories of the vulnerable in their societies.

Africans have come to hear or listen to victims tell their own stories. Africans have come to try and identify critical causes of conflicts and unravel challenges in peace making and peace building. African leaders must come together to discuss and exchange ideas which could guide them, as the leaders seek to intervene in conflict situations be it political, economic, socio - cultural or religiously engineered.

The leaders must also gather and review Africans peace making and peace building strategies. As one of the most violent in human history, the twentieth century has borne witness to wars of aggression, world wars and cold wars that have given rise to nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction that still threaten global annihilation.

Indeed, violence can be induced or imposed. But in whatever form it takes, violence is unacceptable.

Everybody is potentially violent but not everybody has the capacity to impose violence. By inductive violence, Africans mean that the resultant violent action that occurs as one person drives another to the wall and that person would not ease the tension even after persistent pleading to the aggressor to let go. The holy book exhorts us to do onto others, as we would expect them to do unto us. By imposed violence, Africans mean what we do to one another as a result of external influences. Africans must deepen their prayers to show how they can contain the potentially explosive violent nature of theirs while, making it difficult for imposed violence to affect their well being, a move which they believe could enable them to anchor at the berth of peace.

Africans collective well-being will be short-lived unless they win the ethnic, religious, cultural, economic and politically motivated wars. Africans need to work together to eliminate senseless wars in their societies and communities by pushing for justice without which peace is impossibility. Meanwhile, Africans must choose the path of peace and abhor violence. Africans should choose life and eschew violence for in the arena of violence it is a zero - sum game. May the God of Love and the prince of peace rest and abide with Africans as they work together for peace and reconciliation within the continent. The Good Book also says that "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons and daughters of God".

The Lord Jesus Christ in giving us this promise in the sermon on the mount when he proclaimed the beatitudes really inspired the great men and women on this earth work relentless towards peace and the dividends that accrue thereof. Africans and allied bodies of the continent must be proud for living the lives of peacemakers that the Lord spoke so highly about. In this wise, there can be no true development without peace. The shamble economies in our continent are the result of non-peace arising out of civil conflicts, violent repression and social as well as economic injustice.

The disorders arising in our countries stem from the prevalence of chronic injustice, corruption, object poverty, irresponsible and autocratic governance, non-equitable growth, exclusion and hopelessness.

This is why our Christian bodies and churches must be commended for their great efforts and sacrifices in ensuring that peace reigns through attacking these causes. Africans numerous interventions in the social sectors like education, health, potable water, capacity building initiatives for community-based organizations and women's groups should go a long way in reducing poverty and social injustices. The voice of the Christian bodies and churches must lash out against irresponsible governance and corruption without fear. The governments of the continent must determine to perpetuate the rule of law, equitable growth, solid macro-economic stability, social justice, economic justice and effective poverty reduction as the basis to maintain peace.

They must also focus on the geographical targeting where the poorest and most vulnerable of their population live to receive immediate interventions in the areas of economic and social infrastructure and services. Governments must also look at the socio-economic groups like food crop farmers whose poverty situations have worsened considerably over the past decades in providing them with the necessary infrastructure and services for community-centered growth and prosperity. These interventions are the surest ways of ensuring social and economic equity for peace to reign in our continent.

The debilitating effects of inflation and unstable currencies on our economies deepen poverty and lead to armed robbery and other undesirable social consequences.

In view of this, Governments must initiated measured to educe the unsustainable domestic debt stocks, cut unnecessary expenditures, increase domestic agricultural productions and embark on prudent monetary policies such as reducing money supply to stabilize these indicators. The commitments of Governments to fight corruptions at all levels in public, private and civil sectors are to increase effective and efficient use of our meager financial resources so that equitable development can be precipitated. When a few of our populace become rich at the expense of the majority in misery, the end result is anarchy and unrest. Good democratic governance is thus, given a lot of attention by our governments to ensure honesty, transparency and accountability to their people.

As mentioned earlier, the churches, particularly the orthodox ones have excelled in the provision of basic social services to their communities in the past. Most of our prestigious schools, hospitals and clinics have churches as their founders and benevolent supporters. Africans hope that the newer churches will emulate the shining example to warrant the continued social contract between the church and state. All these steps are necessary, and Africans believe, but not sufficient to ensure peace.

Again the good book reminds us that "the fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom" and Africans really need lots of wisdom to ensure peace in their countries of origin. The teachings of our churches have kept Africans from venting out their frustrations and anger through violence in the continent.

Despite the depth of deprivation and poverty prevailing in our countries, the churches have kept on preaching for deepening faith, hope and love; and this has really de people wiser in preserving the peace against all odds. Thus, the primary function of our christen bodies and churches continues to be the bedrock or foundation on which peace rests. In conclusion, Africans would like to called on their governments to meet discuss and formulate new strategies that would enhance peace in the continent.

Source: Ghanaian Chronical. Distributed by Allafrica Global Media